Rail-anchor.



H. H. SPONENBURG.

RAH. ANCHOR.

APPLICATION mm FEB. :4 I9i6. ii zwfi fiwo Patented Oct. 31,1916.

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A TTORNE x5 H. H. SPONENBURG.

RAIL ANCHOR.

APPLICATION FILED rm. I4. I916.

1,203,067. Patented Oct. 31,1916.

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I-IIBAM I-I. SPONENBURG, F GURNEE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO OTTO R. BARNETT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

RAIL-ANCHOR.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 31, 1916.

Application filed February 14, 1916. Serial No. 78,169.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it'known that I, HIRAM H. SroNEN- BURG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gurnee, in the county of Lake and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Anchors, of which the following is a specification.

' My invention relates to a rail anchor, or device for checking the tendency of railroad rails to creep longitudinally; and its principal object is to provide certain novel and improved constructions and arrangements for preventing the vibration of the rail, expansion and contraction of the rail and anchor, or other disturbing influence from impairing the hold of the device on the rail, these same arrangements being designed also to intensify the holding power of the device at the time the rail is subjected to the stresses tending to make it creep.

- The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings as embodied in several rail anchors differing somewhat with reference to certain features of construction. It will be apparent that further modifications might be made "Without departure from the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows, in side elevation, a rail anchor constructed in accordance with the invention, the railto which the device is applied being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and at are detail views, in perspective, of certain parts of the rail anchor shown in the preceding two figures. Fig. 5 is a plan view illustrating a modified construction. taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a view, in perspective, of the spring claw member forming a part of the rail clamp in the device of Figs. 5 and 6. Fig. 8 is a plan view of anotherxmodification. Fig. 9 is a sectional view on line 9-9 of Fig. 8, and Fig. 10 is a view, in perspective, of the combined wedging and claw member constituting the characteristic feature of the construction of the preceding two figures.

Like characters of reference designate like parts in the several figures of the drawings. I

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, the anchor, in this illustrative embodiment of the invention, consists of a yoke member 10, a spring member 11 and a wedge 12. The yoke Fig. 6 is a sectional viewv member consists preferably of a single integral casting formed at one end with a jaw 13 adapted to engage directly with the base flange of the rail let and at the other end with a larger jaw 15. The rail anchor is provided with means for giving it a stationary position with respect to the roadbed. For example, the yoke 10 may be formed with a flange or plate 16 which bears against the tie 17. The spring member 11 is formed with a claw 18 adapted to engage the edge of the rail base. The wedge member 12 is driven in between the jaw 15 and the spring or claw member .11. The latter preferably terminates at its inner end in an edge or tooth 19 which interlocks with one of a series of teeth 20 on the wedge; the purpose of this engagement between members 11 and 12 being to prevent any retrograde movement of one with respect to the other which would loosen the hold of the device on the rail.

It will be observed that any tendency on the part of the rail to creep in the direction of the arrow (Fig.2) is checked not only by the wedging action of members 11 and 12 but also by the claw 18 which bites into the edge of the rail base. The wedging ac tion of the device on the rail is positive. That is, in the preferred construction shown, no space intervene-s between the spring member 11 and the rail throughout most of the length of the former. The portion of the spring member within jaw 15 is wedged firmly between the wedging member 12 and the rail. At the same time the spring or claw member exerts a resilient pressure on the rail which serves to absorb vibration and prevent looseness due to this or other infiuences. The wedge 12 cannot back out of its operative position because the teeth 20 thereon are engaged by the claw member, the other end of which has a bite into the rail.

In Figs. 5 to 7 inclusive, I have shown a rail anchor similarly constructed except that the claw member 21 is formed with a flange 22 which bears on the top of the rail base. This engagement prevents the rail from vibrating vertically in jaw 15. Such vibration, if permitted, might tend to loosen the hold of the device on the rail.

In Figs. 8 to 10 inclusive, the parts corresponding to the claw member and wedg ing member are united in the form of a single elastic wedging key. This member is preferably made of a piece of spring steel bent so as to form two legs 23, 24: which have a divergent set, as shown in Fig. 10. The leg 2% is provided preferably with an angular flange 25 to facilitate driving the key into its operative position between the yoke and the rail. The leg 23 terminates in a claw 26 adapted to engage the edge of the rail base and with upper and lower jaw forming flanges 27, 28 which overlap and underlap respectively, the edge of the rail base.

I claim r 1. A rail anchor provided with means for giving ita stationary position with respect to the roadbed, and with rail clamping means comprising a yoke and a claw mem-' her which engages the edge of the rail base only at a point spaced from the yoke.

A rail anchor provided with means for giving it a stationary position with respect to the roadbed, and with rail clamping means comprising a spring claw member which engages the edge of the rail base.

3. A rail anchor provided with means for giving it a stationary position with respect to the roadbed and with rail clamping means comprising coengaging members having a wedging relation with each other and the rail,"one of which has a resilient shank pro.- vided with a claw engaging the edge of the rail base. v

4. A rail anchor provided with means for giving it a stationary position with respect to the roadbed and with rail clamping means comprising coengaging members having a wedging relation with each other and the rail, one of which is provided with a spring claw engaging the edge of the rail base.

5. A rail anchor provided with means for giving it a stationary position with respect to the roadbed and with rail clamping means comprising coengaging members having a wedging relation with each other and the rail, one of which is resilient and provided with an inturned extremity formed with a notch for engaging the edge of the,

rail base, said members being interlocked to prevent retrograde movement between the same.

6. A rail anchor provided with means for giving it a stationary position with respect to the roadbed and with rail clamping means comprising coengaging members having a wedging relation with each other. and the rail, one of which is provided with a spring claw engaging the edge of the rail base, said members'being interlocked to prevent retrograde movement between the same.

7. In a rail anchor, the combination of a yoke adapted to extend around the base of a rail, and wedging means interposed between the yoke and one edge of the rail base comprising a member having a claw adapted to engage the edge of the rail base only at a point spaced from the yoke. 8. In a rail anchor, the combination of a yoke adapted to extend around the base of a rail and formed with a tie abutting flange, and wedging means interposed between the yoke and one edge of the rail base comprising a member having a claw adapted to engage the edge of the rail base only at a point spaced from the yoke.

9. In a rail anchor, the combination of a yoke adapted toextend around the base of a rail, and wedging means interposed be-' tween the yoke and one edge of the rail base comprising a member having a spring claw adapted to engage the edge of the rail base.

10. In a rail anchor, the combination of a yoke adapted to extend around the base of arail, and wedging meansinterposed between the yoke and one edge of the rail base comprising a member having a shank and an angnlarly disposed claw at the end of the shank adapted to engage the .edge of the rail base, said claw member having a flange over.- lapping the top of the rail base.

11. In a rail anchor, the combination of a yoke adapted to extend around the base of a rail, wedging means interposed between the yoke and one edge of the rail base comprising a member. having a claw adapted to engage the edge of the rail base only at a point spaced from its wedged portion, and a wedge member adapted to be driven be tween the claw member and the yoke.

12. In a rail anchor, the combination of a yoke adapted toextend around the base of a rail, wedging means interpod between the yoke and one edge of the rail base comprising a. member having a claw remote from its wedged portion adapted to engage the edge of the rail base, and a wedge member adapted to be driven between the claw member and the yoke, said members being formed with coengaging teeth to prevent retrograde movement of one, with respect to. the other.

13. In a rail anchor, the combination of a yoke adapted to extend around the base of a rail, wedging means interposed between the yoke and one edge of the rail base comprising a member having. a claw remote from its wedged portion adapted to engage the edge of the rail base, and a wedge member adapted to be driven between the claw member and the yoke, said members being engaged one with the other to prevent retrograde movement of one with respect to, the other.

14. In a rail anchor, the combination of a yoke adapted to extend around the'base, of a rail, a spring member adapted to bear against the rail, and a wedge adapted to be driven between the spring member and yoke, said wedge spring members being formed with coengaging teeth to prevent retrograde movement of one with respect to the other.

15. In a rail anchor, the combination of a yoke formed with a tie abutting flange, a jaw engaging one edge of the base of a rail and a jaw at the other end extending around the other edge of the rail, a spring member having a claw adapted to engage the edge of the rail base, and a wedge adapted to be driven in between said spring member and jaw, the spring member and jaw being formed with coengaging teeth.

16. in a rail anchor, the combination of a yoke formed with a tie abutting flange, a jaw engaging one edge of the base of a rail and a jaw at the other end extending around the other edge of the rail, a spring member having a claw adapted to engage the edge of the rail base, a wedge adapted to be driven in between said spring member and jaw, the spring member and jaw being formed with coengaging teeth, and a spring member with a flange overlapping, the edge of the rail base.

17. In a rail anchor, the combination of a yoke formed with a tie abutting flange, a jav at one end adapted to engage the edge of the base of a rail and a jaw at the other end extending around the opposite edge of the rail base, and a V-shaped spring key adapted to be driven between the rail base and last named jaw which is provided at one end with a claw adapted to engage the edge of the rail base.

18. Rail engaging means for a rail anchor, comprising a yoke, a bowed resilient member formed at one end with a claw for engagement with the edge of the rail base, and a wedge between the yoke and said member.

19. Rail engaging means for a rail anchor, comprising a yoke, a bowed resilient member formed at one end with a claw for engagement with the edge of the rail base, and a wedge between the yoke and said member which bends the bowed part of the member against the rail.

20. Rail engaging means for a rail anchor, comprising a yoke, a bowed resilient member formed at one end with a claw for engagement with the edge of the rail base, and a wedge between the yoke and said member which bends a portion of the bowed part of the member against the rail.

21. Rail engaging means for a rail anchor, comprising a yoke, a bowed resilient member longer than. the width of the yoke and formed at one end with a claw for engagement with the edge of the rail base and a wedge between the yoke and said member.

HIRAM H. SPONENBURG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G. 

